Let Your Light Shine

Category: Uncategorized (Page 3 of 11)

Art Will Make You Rich

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Sycamore Creek 2019

Do you want to get rich from your art? What is your definition of rich? Is it boatloads of money? Is it freedom from a boring job?

There are blogs and You Tube channels that will teach you how to sell you art.

  • Market Your Art in 12 Easy Steps
  • Promote Your Work on Pinterest!
  • Instagram Hashtags for Artists

One leads to another which leads to the next. Most of them contain some nugget that’s useful and some contain claims that have to make you wonder.

Putting your art out in the world for sale is a good thing. You’re using your gifts and other people get to enjoy your work. You will eventually sell some of it.

Here’s my angle on art and riches. Yes, I have sold my work. Back when country decor was hot, I painted country scenes, animals, fruits, flowers, and cute kids. Mostly I copied designs from instruction books. I sold a lot of it and did loads of commissions on milk cans and sawblades – pretty much any flat surface you can think of. A good bit of it was “trash to treasures”.

A berry bucket I painted for a hostess gift to take to Hiroshima. I filled it with locally grown popcorn and Amish jam.

Later I sold micro-miniature snow scenes on porcelain Christmas ornaments. Each one was unique and fun, because I painted intuitively using a wipeout technique to shape the landscape and the architecture. During the summers I cast the porcelain. Then all year I’d spend an hour each evening painting (after my students’ papers were graded). I sold at craft shows and on consignment. Most of my earnings went right back into more supplies.

porcelain Christmas bells
Porcelain Christmas bells

Lately I’ve sold some of my plein air work at exhibits or just on the street while I’m painting. I’m much too lazy these days for the hard work of art fairs.

What I do know is that I have gotten incredibly rich making art. I have met wonderful people and made great friends. I’ve painted in other states and other countries. I’ve spent time outdoors soaking up the sun and shade, serenaded by birds and frogs. Once, as I was painting a pavilion, a group gathered for beautiful religious chanting!

Leaf sketches in colored pencil, ink and watercolor
Art has given me a richer appreciation for nature.

My life is rich. I have a focus for my free time and I’m continually learning new skills in painting and in technology. I meet up with friends to paint and we share our work on social media. All of those things have made my life full and busy.

So keep on making art and you will be rich!

Oil or Water?

Painter’s Choice

Gloucester Harbor 9×12 oil

So we were going to Cape Ann for a ladies’ painting trip. After last spring’s trip to Brown County, Indiana, it was time for another pilgrimage to an art colony.

What to take? The online photos of rocky shorelines and fishing shacks shouted, ” Bring your oil paints!” But when you’re flying, that’s a royal pain. You have to check a bag and buy thinner when you get there. I knew if I didn’t take the oils I’d be so envious of my Marianne, who was definitely taking oils. (I’m always envious of her talent so adding envy of painting supplies would be just too much.)

My practical friends, Nancy and Wendy, were packing light with just some paper, pens and watercolors and maybe a few pastels. I’ve done that on our winter get-aways to Florida before and it does make life easy.

Indecisive as always, I took both a little watercolor sketch kit and a new Strada easel with a backpack tripod for my oils. All materials were chosen with the valued advice of Nancy, our painting gear expert.

I used the sketch gear and painting hear in about equal measures. Some locations were windy or involved too much effort for the easel. I sat on the ground with the Strada at Wingaersheek Beach. That was a huge mistake! Gritty sand in and on everything.)

Wingaersheek Beach (includes authentic sand) 9×12 oil

I sat on the ground again to paint the tulips. I wanted to get that low angle with the sun shining through.

Tulips Along the Annisquam River 9×12 oil

Our day at the old paint manufactory, (now The Ocean Alliance), was so windy that we used my backpack to weigh down Marianne’s easel! I didn’t even bother getting out the oils. I sat on a rock wearing all the layers I brought along my knit headband and sunhat.

Historic Tar and Wanson Paint Manufactory – 5×7 watercolor
Water soluble graphite 5×7

Most of the oil paintings needed touch-ups after the plein air sessions but I left the watercolors and pencil sketches “as is”.

Old Fishing Boats in Rockport 5×7 watercolor and ink

I pasted the sketches in a little travel journal that Nancy gave me. I included a few notes about our trip, mostly about the food I ate (especially the popovers at Passports in Gloucester). Sketching is more relaxing and I like having memory books of trips but I rarely go back and make a painting out of the little sketches. So in the end I’m glad I lugged the oils and paid for the checked bag.

Boats in Smith’s Cove on Rocky Neck in Gloucester 9×12 oil

Beach Designs

This post is going down a different path than my posts on painting. When the weather was frigid in Ohio, I was lucky enough to spend a week in Florida. Every morning I walked on the beach and created a design with whatever nature had to offer. I was awed by the intricate shapes and colors and thankful for the abundance. It’s good to slow down to just look and appreciate.

Beach Butterflies

So I gathered whatever interested me, usually two handfuls and sometimes a pocket. Tides and weather washed up new treasures every day. Near the dunes I found grasses and sticks.

A good morning catch

The first design incorporated broken pieces of dune fencing, probably damaged during hurricane Michael.

A special prayer

Some days I focused on shapes and some on color.

Spiralgyra

I even made a design near the camellias at Eden State Park.

Star of Eden

The designs were inspired by the book, Morning Altars by Day Schildkret. In the spring I am offering a workshop at Shepherd’s Corner in Blacklick for anyone who wants to see spend some time to appreciating the variety and beauty of nature in Ohio.

Venus on a Half Shell
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